The Year of the Snake, 2013

Despite of my flu, we were able to go to Chinatown in Singapore once, briefly, to see the decorations.
The area was crowded as usual with chinese new year. The two giant snakes in the main streets were impressive and gorgeous.

Children are often dressed traditionally and in red.

Lots of knick-knacks for sale.

Having dinner amidst of the hectic in chinatown that night.

We were also invited -for the first time ever- to a ‘real’ chinese new year’s visitation at the house of one of Celeste’s sisters.

Celeste, Jon and Frits.

Celeste’s stepfather on the left, friend Patrick in the middle and her two nieces.

Isabelle, Celeste’s younger sister, reading Jon’s palm and hand. Later she did mine as well.

There is a lot of eating and drinking involved. Everyone brings two oranges, hands them to the host and receives two oranges back.

Then there is the ‘tossing of the salad’. This year the salad was appropriately laid out in a snake-shape. Then everyone tosses the salad high in the sky with chopsticks. But still in such an orderly manner that afterwards that same salad can be eaten.

In the red is Celeste’s older sister Nicole, married to a Spanish man. In the blue is Isabelle, Celeste’s younger sister.

It was fun to be there, with Celeste’s family and friends. Thanks for having us, Nicole!